Austin News

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, along with Senators Elizabeth Warren and Marsha Blackburn, has introduced a bipartisan resolution to honor the women who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II through the Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service (WAVES) program.

Senator Cruz remarked on the significance of this recognition, stating, "We must never forget the unwavering dedication and immense sacrifices made by the courageous women who volunteered to serve our country during World War II. Their contributions to the war effort were pivotal and our nation owes them a debt of gratitude. I am honored to stand with Senators Warren and Blackburn in introducing this bipartisan resolution to give them the full recognition they deserve."

The resolution is supported by Senators Dick Durbin, Chris Van Hollen, Thom Tillis, Ron Wyden, Mike Braun, and Jon Ossoff.

Historically, laws restricted women's roles in military service primarily to nursing after World War I. However, President Franklin D. Roosevelt's signing of the Navy Women's Reserve Act in July 1942 changed that by establishing WAVES. This allowed women to take on various military roles during World War II. During its peak period, WAVES included nearly 80,000 officers and enlisted personnel as part of more than 400,000 women serving in military capacities throughout World War II.